KISSINGER QUIZ

Henry Kissinger, bottom left, seated, after meeting with Ford and Suharto in Jakarta, authorizing the invasion of East Timor, 1975, which occurred five hours later

War is a Crime

War Criminals Watch

Join War Criminals Watch, World Can't Wait, Code Pink, East Timor & Indonesia Action Network and others to protest Kissinger book party and interview at the Citigroup Center, 52 & 53rd St on Park Ave, Manhattan at 5-7pm.

Take the Kissinger Quiz. See how much you know and what you might learn about this primier war criminal.

1. In 1969 President Nixon and his National Security Advisor, Henry Kissinger, ordered the B-52 bombing of neutral Cambodia. Did Kissinger:

A. Go on television to acknowledge the bombing?
B. Make a movie co-starring Lady Gaga as an American tourist in Cambodia?
C. Deny that any bombing was taking place and have the air force falsify its records to hide the bombing from the American public,

Congress, and most of the Executive branch of government?

2. In July 1971 the Pakistani army was engaged in a mad rampage of murder and rape against the people of East Pakistan. Did Kissinger:

A. Send in the Marines?
B. Denounce Pakistani dictator Yahya Khan for the atrocities?
C. Spend what he called a "pleasant day" with Yahya Khan?

3. In 1972, when the Shah of Iran asked for secret U.S. military aid to be given to the Kurdish rebels in neighboring Iraq. Kissinger agreed. When the Shah later decided to repair his ties with Iraq, the U.S. abruptly cut off its assistance to the Kurds and at least 35,000 of them were killed. How did Kissinger explain his policy?

A. "Oops."
B. "Love means never having to say you're sorry."
C. "One must not confuse the intelligence business with missionary work."

4. In October 1972, Kissinger and his North Vietnamese counterpart reached an agreement on how to end the Vietnam war. However, Washington's ally, Premier Thieu of South Vietnam, rejected the agreement, proposing what Kissinger called a "preposterous" list of 69 modifications. Did Kissinger and Nixon then:

A. Cut off all military aid to Thieu?
B. Immediately withdraw U.S. troops from Vietnam?
C. Order massive bombing raids on North Vietnam's major cities for the first time in the war?

5. Salvador Allende was democratically elected president of Chile in 1970; he provided food for the poor, raised workers’ wages and killed no one. General Pinochet overthrew Allende in 1973 and killed some 20,000 Allende supporters. What was Kissinger's role in all this?

A. He defended Allende as the legal ruler of Chile.
B. He scrupulously avoided interfering in Chile's internal affairs.
C. He had the CIA assist in overthrowing Allende.

6. In 1975, Cambodia seized a U.S. ship that had intruded into its territorial waters. Ignoring diplomacy, Kissinger immediately ordered U.S. airstrikes and a futile attack by US. Marines. Cambodia announced that it would release the ship and its crew. Did Kissinger:

A. Thank the Cambodians for agreeing to release the crew?
B. Send an autographed picture of Richard Nixon to the Cambodians?
C. Order further bombing attacks?

7. In 1975, Portugal announced that it was finally granting independence to its African colony, Angola. Three competing Angolan guerilla groups signed a pact agreeing to vie for power peacefully. The U.S. State Department recommended that Washington support this peaceful process. Did Kissinger then:

A. Call for conciliation among the guerilla groups?
B. Visit his friend Nelson Rockefeller to reminisce about Attica prison?
C. Provide covert aid to one of the guerilla groups, enabling it to attack another group, precipitating a bloody civil war?

8. The Indonesian army planned a massive and brutal invasion of East Timor for Dec. 5, 1975 – the same day Kissinger and Pres. Gerald Ford were to visit the Indonesian capital. Did the U.S.:

A. Demand that the invasion be called off?
B. Break diplomatic relations with Indonesia?
C. Insist that the invasion be postponed two days until Kissinger and Ford left Indonesia?

9. In 1983, Kissinger chaired Reagan's Commission on Central America and recommended increasing military aid to the government of El Salvador. Which of these is true?

A. In 1983 alone, more than 2,000 people were killed by death squads linked to the government.
B. At least 16 priests and nuns, including an archbishop were murdered by the death-squads.
C. Both of the above.

ANSWERS 1. (C) [Shawcross, Sideshow: Hersh, Price of Power, pp. 54-65.] 2. (C) [Kissinger, White House Years, p. 739.] 3. (C) [Stockwell, In Search of Enemies, p. 235n.] 4. (C) [Kissinger, White House Years] 40,000 tons of bombs were dropped, more than 1,600 civilians were killed, and when it was all over the U.S. signed the Peace Treaty essentially as it had been agreed to in October. 5. (C) [Hersh, Price of Power, pp. 277-296.]  6.(C) Even after Cambodia released the crew and they were safe aboard a U.S. Navy vessel, Kissinger ordered further bombing. In this effort to free 40 US. sailors (who would have been released anyway), 41 U.S. military personnel died. (Shawcross, Sideshow, pp. 432-34) 7. (C) [Stockwell, In Search of Enemies.] Troops from the apartheid regime of South Africa supported the U.S. aide .in the civil war; Cuban troops backed the other side. 8. (C) [McDonald, Suharto's Indonesia, p. 211.] The invasion began just as Kissinger and Ford left Indonesia; 90% of the weapons used in the invasion had been provided by the U.S. Some 10-30% of the population of East Timor died in the invasion and its associated brutalities. The U.S. gave diplomatic support to Indonesia at the United Nations. 9. (C) [Data from Bonner, New York Times, 9/14/84